


When I First Saw You, Time Stood Still

by SpaceJammie



Series: Oddly Specific First Meetings Fic Collection [5]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Ballet, Cute Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi, Family Bonding, Family Feels, First Meetings, Flirting, Honestly this is one of my sad fics you'll quite possibly cry, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Intimacy, Loss of Parent(s), M/M, Oddly Specific Fic For My Oddly Specific Interests, Original Character Death(s), Original Characters(Daichis's parents and sister), Protective Sawamura Daichi, Sad with a Happy Ending, Sawamura Daichi is a Good Boyfriend, Suga is a ballet instructor, Sugawara Koushi is a Good Boyfriend, daisuga - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:09:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26473921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpaceJammie/pseuds/SpaceJammie
Summary: While on his way home from work, Daichi gets captivated by watching a ballet dancer through the window of a dance studio.Was it love at first sight?
Relationships: Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi
Series: Oddly Specific First Meetings Fic Collection [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1982089
Comments: 41
Kudos: 160





	1. Chapter 1

Daichi had missed his train because he stayed late at work to finish a couple projects. He didn't mind though; instead of waiting for the next train, he decided he would walk home. His apartment was just under thirty minutes away by foot and the fall weather was beautiful. He decided he would get takeout from a restaurant that had just opened a few blocks from his apartment as a reward to himself for fitting in a walk and time outside. 

The evening foot traffic wasn't too heavy as Daichi walked briskly down the sidewalk. He thought about calling his sister, Mei, and seeing how she and her son were doing as he made his way down the street. Her husband had passed away recently and Daichi had done what he could to help her through it; be it financially, or by babysitting his six year old nephew Shoyo. 

Shoyo had his late father's orange hair and his mother's friendliness. Daichi loved taking care of his nephew, even if it could be a little exhausting; the boy was always full of energy and ready to talk a mile a minute. 

Daichi realized he had made it quite far while he was distracted by his memories. He was already at the street he needed to turn down to reach the restaurant. He smiled to himself; it was amusing, how easily the time could pass when one was lost in thought. The occurrence of letting his mind get away from him was a frequent thing. 

When he walked into the restaurant, he flipped through the menu and then placed a takeaway order. He felt like miso soup and chicken stir fry would be a good option since the weather was just starting to chill in the evenings. He pulled out his phone while waiting for his order and sent his sister a text. 

**Mei**

**Sent at 7:34pm:**

_ Hey, thinking about you and Shoyo. I'm free this weekend if you two want to hang out, or if you need me to babysit.  _

He scrolled through his phone for a few minutes to pass the time and catch up on what his friends were posting on social media. When his food was ready, he slipped his phone back in his pocket before grabbing his takeout. He left the restaurant and started up the street in a cheerful manner. 

As he went along, the huge window of a dance studio caught his eye; he’d never noticed it before. It was brightly lit inside. There were two walls lined floor to ceiling with mirrors, which had wooden handlebars attached along them. There was a group of young children sitting in a half circle on the smooth hardwood floor.

In front of the children was a beautiful young man; he had silver hair that was just a little messy and a smile that lit up his face. He had an air about him that was both confident and graceful. He wore a black long sleeve full body unitard that showed off his slim figure, and on his feet were light colored ballet slippers. It looked like he was in the middle of giving an example, as he had just jumped into the air and twisted his body around in a full circle before landing gracefully.

Then the silver haired man said something to the children in front of him before jumping and twisting one more time. Afterwards, he clapped his hands twice as he spoke to the class. The children all took turns trying the move, with the silver haired man correcting their posture or commenting something before the next child had a turn. Then the man said something to the group once again, and all the children moved to the bars along the mirrors to start practicing individually.

The man continued to watch the children closely, giving an occasional comment. Now and then he would adjust someone's posture or give an example of a dance move. Not long after, the silver haired man looked at the clock and then clapped his hands while speaking. All the children moved over to a bench next to some cubbies and began putting on coats and shoes. A small group of parents mingled by the doorway. 

Suddenly, the silver haired man turned and looked out the window; his gaze landed right on Daichi. It was then that Daichi noticed that not only had he stopped walking right in the middle of the sidewalk, but he had been openly staring at the ashen haired man for what must have been at least twenty minutes. He felt a light blush creep up his neck and cheeks right as the silver haired man's eyes met his own. The attractive stranger was staring at him with curious focus as a slightly playful smirk spread across his lips. Daichi found he couldn't look away despite his growing embarrassment.

As the parents filtered out of the building with their children in tow, the silver haired man moved towards the door to slip on different shoes so he could follow the group outside. He stepped out onto the sidewalk and marched right up to Daichi. Soon he was standing face to face with the man: his warm brown colored eyes were playful and an almost mischievous looking smile had settled on him as he spoke. 

"I couldn't help but notice that you were staring at me.”

If Daichi wasn't obviously blushing before, he definitely was now. His thoughts were racing for something to say that would help him seem less creepy. But his mind was blank, so he ended up mumbling out a weak response. "Oh… I was just… I was… checking out…"

The silver haired man’s smile was absolutely amused now. "Checking out what?" 

"Just checking out… the class… because… my nephew? My nephew! He wants to learn ballet," Daichi said as he pieces together an excuse. He mentally patted himself on the back for the nice save that he had just pulled off. 

The silver haired man didn't look like he bought it, but he humored Daichi anyway. "Oh, is that so? I have open practice hours tomorrow from two to four in the afternoon. I'll be here in the studio during that time, since some of the kids like to come in and do extra practice. You can feel free to swing by with your  _ nephew _ so that you two can see the room and get to know me."

Daichi knew he was caught in his lie, But he also knew that he would really like to see the silver haired man again. He decided he would have to figure out how to convince Shoyo to try ballet by the next day, since today was Friday. "Well I'll plan to bring him by tomorrow afternoon, then. I'm Sawamura Daichi, by the way. But you can call me Daichi," he said, hoping he sounded suave like he intended.

The silver haired man smiled at him warmly; his brown eyes were twinkling in amusement. "Okay, Daichi. I'm Sugawara Koushi, but I go by Suga. I'll see you tomorrow then,” he said as he gave a wink and then turned away.

Daichi watched Suga walk into the studio, then willed himself to turn away and head for home. The man had been even more beautiful up close. As he daydreamed about Suga a bit more, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. So he pulled it out and looked at the message; it was from his sister, who was replying to his earlier text. 

**Mei**

**Received at 8:10pm**

_ I have to work and Shoyo is at a friends house all weekend. Maybe next weekend we can hang out? _

  
  


Daichi sighed. Why did he tell Suga that he would come by the next day before he knew if he'd have Shoyo? He was mentally scolded himself. As he walked home, he debated internally about what he should do. He wanted to just go see Suga by himself the next day. But at the same time, he had been hoping to have Shoyo along so he wouldn't have made himself seem foolish. 

\---

By the next morning, Daichi had made up his mind. He would go see Suga alone, and ask the man out on a date. He just had to get on over there and do it. Come right out with it. Be confident and take charge of the situation. He could do that, right?

Daichi decided it would be better to go at the end of the open practice so that if he got rejected, the kids who had come wouldn't witness it. Daichi hated the thought of his pride being wounded in front of a bunch of kids; they could be cruel, and he didn't want to be laughed at by a group of them. 

It was five minutes until the end of the open practice when Daichi showed up outside the studio. As he walked in front of the large window, he saw Suga inside flipping through a book while resting on the ground. The man was smartly dressed; he was wearing grey skinny jeans and a form fitting dark blue sweater that looked amazing on him. There were no kids inside, so Daichi figured they must have left already.

Suddenly, Suga noticed Daichi outside the window and set down his book. He stood up and faced the large window as he moved one hand onto his hip and pointed at Daichi with the other. He wore an assertive expression and a cheeky smile as he nodded at the man. 

Daichi's eyes widened and he pointed at his own chest, then glanced briefly around himself. Suga nodded at him again with a playful smile and then waved a hand towards the door. Daichi blushed as he walked into the studio. Now that he was there, about to be face to face with Suga once again, it seemed his built up confidence was crumbling a little. He made his way over to Suga and sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. 

Suga was staring at him and smirking in a way that was rather sassy. "I figured you didn't actually have a nephew interested in ballet, but I didn't think you'd stand me up."

"I do have a nephew that… probably would've wanted to come. He just wasn't available this weekend. I didn't want to disturb your open practice by coming earlier without a good reason," Daichi said shyly.

Suga smiled and tilted his head, looking genuinely amused. "I don't actually have open practice on Saturdays, Daichi. I was just trying to get you here so I could take you on a date."

Daichi's mouth fell open slightly and it took him a moment to respond. "You were going to take me on a date? And I showed up two hours late, basically... Oh. I'm so sorry! I had come so late because I wanted to ask you on a date when you were done at the studio."

Suga smiled widely and then giggled; his head fell back slightly as he did so. "I see. We both had the same goal in mind, then. But you were still very late! Make it up to me by taking me on the best date I've ever had, Daichi."

Daichi looked at Suga and gave as confident a smile as he could muster. "The best date ever? That's a tall order, Suga." 

Suga grinned playfully. "I do like to set a high bar. Especially when it comes to a date with a really cute guy,” he said with a wink.

Daichi blushed at the compliment. Before he could mumble an answer, Suga took him by the hand and led him out of the studio. He followed along without question; he felt quite willing to follow Suga anywhere the man wanted to go as long as it meant spending more time together. 

"Let's start with dinner and then have dessert at my place," Suga said cheerfully over his shoulder as he led the way down the street.

Daichi let Suga lead him along by the hand and felt himself smile. He was getting the distinct feeling that he would be getting more than he had bargained for, in the best kind of way. He took a moment to be silently grateful that he had missed his train the day before. It had led him to meeting Suga, after all.

  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

When Daichi opened his eyes, he saw a ceiling fan. That wouldn't be all that strange if not for the fact that he didn't have a ceiling fan in his bedroom. He blinked and went to sit up, but found a weight on his left left arm; he looked over and saw Suga laying on it. 

The night before came rushing back to him. He had eaten dinner with Suga, and they’d had a lovely evening. He found that he enjoyed spending time with the man. Suga was kind and easygoing, as well as fabulously playful. Daichi felt like they had clicked really well; it had been years, if ever, since he felt comfortable around someone so quickly. After dinner they had come back to Suga's place and had both kinds of dessert. Suga had initiated it and Daichi was very willing to oblige. 

Daichi gently pulled his arm out from under Suga’s body and sat up. He glanced down and realized that both of them were still fully naked. He wondered if it would be okay to use Suga's shower while the man still slept. He decided to just go for it, but not before taking a moment to look at Suga and memorize the soft features on the man’s face. The man looked very calm while sleeping; it was a stark contrast from last night, when they were in bed together doing what they had done. 

There was a bathroom attached to the bedroom, so Daichi went inside and got into the shower. The warm water felt good running down his body; he was a little sore thanks to the strenuous activity from the night before. He had only been in the shower for a couple minutes before he heard Suga come into the bathroom while yawning loudly. 

After a moment, Suga stepped into the shower and wrapped his arms around Daichi's waist from behind. "Good morning. I slept like a rock," he said sleepily as he hugged against Daichi’s body. 

Daichi turned around and kissed Suga, mumbling a 'good morning' against the man’s lips. He then turned Suga around and lathered some shampoo into the man’s hair, massaging his scalp and then moving down to the man’s neck to massage there as well. He wanted to pamper Suga a bit; he liked having someone to dote on.

Suga hummed softly and grinned. "I had a feeling you’d be good boyfriend material, Daichi. I love it when I’m right."

"So we’re officially dating, then?" Daichi asked happily as he pulled the detachable shower head down to rinse Suga's hair off.

Suga giggled as he responded while shielding his eyes from the soapy water. "I sure hope so, after what we did last night."

Daichi grinned as finished washing Suga’s hair. "Just wanted to make sure. I don't usually do that on the first date. Or even the fifth one. And there was a chance that you’d want to leave it at one night, I know some people prefer that."

Suga let out a happy sigh as Daichi began to rub body wash across his shoulders and down his back. "No, I definitely want to keep you for myself. I've never had a man wash my hair and massage me in the shower, so now we’ve both had a new experience." 

Daichi wrapped his arms around Suga's waist to wash the man’s chest and stomach. Then he moved his mouth next to Suga's ear and whispered. "I've never had sex in the shower."

Suga smiled deviously and pressed himself back against Daichi. "Let's cross off another first, then."

\----

After their very long shower, the two men got dressed and went to Suga's kitchen. Daichi watched as Suga made their breakfast. "You seem to know your way around the kitchen."

Suga smiled as he flipped an omelette. "I've lived alone for a long time, so I had to learn to fend for myself a little bit. How about you, do you cook much?" 

Daichi leaned back against the counter. "Not as much as I'd like. But hey, someone has to support the local restaurants.”

“Very valiant of you,” Suga said playfully. 

The two men ate breakfast together, enjoying easy conversation. Daichi couldn't seem to keep himself from smiling; it had been a while since he had felt so at ease and happy with someone. And Suga seemed to feel the same. The man switched frequently between mischievous smiles and genuine laughter as they talked and joked.

At that moment, a cell phone started ringing from the bedroom. Daichi got up and started to walk out of the room. "That one's mine,” he said to Suga as he excused himself. He answered his phone and was greeted by his sister. 

"Hey, Daichi. I have such a huge favor to ask," Mei’s voice came across in a rush.

"How can I help?" Daichi responded as he walked back out to the table to sit with Suga, who smiled warmly at him when he sat down. 

"I was supposed to pick up Shoyo from his friend’s house this morning, in about an hour. But I just got called into work. Is there any way that you could go pick him up for me?" 

Daichi had reached over to where Suga's hand rested on the table and was rubbing his fingers across the man’s hand absentmindedly. "Yeah, I can get Shoyo from his friends house. Will you text me the address?"

"I will right now. Thank you so much Daichi! I'll be off work by about seven tonight, is that okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine. I'll feed him and keep him entertained. Don't worry about it, I'd do anything for my favorite nephew," Daichi said cheerfully. He and his sister hung up, and he waited for her to send the address. 

Suga had interlaced their fingers together when Daichi was playing with his hand; he gave it a gentle squeeze as he tilted his head. "I gather that you need to get your nephew, who turns out to be real after all, and take care of him for the day?" 

"Yeah. I need to leave here pretty soon to get him. I'll have him until this evening. Shoyo’s a very energetic little six year old. Maybe I'll walk him around the park for a few hours to wear him out," said Daichi; he was only half joking. 

Suga grinned playfully. "Instead of that, you could see if he wants to come to open practice at the ballet studio. I have extra dance outfits there that would probably fit him. I've seen many high energy children find focus and joy through ballet."

Daichi gave Suga a smirk as he raised an eyebrow. "So you actually do have open practice on the weekends then?"

Suga winked. "Only on Sundays."

Daichi stood up and pulled Suga's hand to his mouth; he kissed the man’s knuckles before clearing the dishes from the table. "We’ll definitely come then. After I do the dishes, I'm going to get going."

Suga watched Daichi walk to the kitchen from the dining room. "You're such a gentleman, but you don't have to do the dishes. I can do it."

Daichi turned the water on at the sink and started washing the plates. "I'd never make you do the dishes after you're the one who cooked. What kind of boyfriend would I be, otherwise?"

Suga hummed happily as he watched Daichi. "Oh my, you're definitely a keeper."

  
  
  



	3. Chapter 3

Daichi had left Suga's place to pick up Shoyo. He ended up taking Shoyo to a park near his apartment, and then they grabbed takeout for lunch on the way home. After lunch, Shoyo wanted to watch TV. Daichi gladly agreed; it was only half past noon, and he was feeling a little worn out from his nephew's energy and chatter. 

While Shoyo watched TV, Daichi sent a text to Suga. 

**To Suga**

**Sent at 12:40pm**

_Hey, Shoyo is excited to come see the studio. Thanks again for offering :)_

**From Suga**

**Received at 12:42pm**

_I'm glad he’s excited. Can't wait to see you!_

**To Suga**

**Sent at 12:43pm**

_I’m looking forward to seeing you, too. :) Maybe you can hang out with us for a while afterwards, and we could grab dinner?_

**From Suga**

**Received at 12:50**

_That sounds great! There’s a festival tonight. We could explore and get food there, if you wanted. Your nephew would probably enjoy the games. :)_

Daichi glanced at Shoyo. “Do you want to go to a festival tonight?”

Shoyo bounced off the couch and yelled excitedly, then started running around while chanting _‘festival’_ over and over. Daichi watched the boy with a tender smile and a short chuckle; he loved how joyful his nephew could be over something as simple as a festival. He looked back at his phone so he could respond to Suga.

**To Suga**

**Sent at 12:52**

Shoyo loved that idea, he’s practically bouncing off the walls now. I think we’ll be heading out for a walk before we come to see you. 

**From Suga**

**Received at 1:02pm**

Come to the studio as soon as you'd like, I'm already here doing a bit of my own practice. 

**To Suga**

**Sent at 1:05pm**

_Great! I'll get Shoyo ready to go and we’ll be there as soon as we can. :)_

It took almost ten minutes for Daichi to get Shoyo to use the restroom and put shoes on. When they finally made it out the door, both were eager to get going. The dance studio was only a couple blocks from Daichi's apartment, but Shoyo stopped to pet every dog along the way. And he had to yell a friendly greeting at all the people they passed on the sidewalk.

It was almost 2 o’clock by the time they made it to the front of the studio. Once there, Daichi and Shoyo paused in front of the large window. Inside was Suga, wearing a tight grey tee shirt and comfortable black dance leggings. The man moved around the room gracefully while jumping and turning. Music could very faintly be heard from outside the studio. 

After a couple more minutes of intricate dancing, Suga suddenly stopped. He looked out the window at where Daichi and Shoyo were standing while he clicked off the music, then smiled at them. When they both looked surprised at having been noticed, he threw his head back slightly and laughed. He pointed to them and then to the door of the studio. 

Daichi grinned and grabbed Shoyo’s hand. "Oh, right! Let's go inside."

As soon as they came through the studio door, Shoyo let go of Daichi's hand. The small boy rushed up to Suga and stared up at the man; his smile was wide and his round eyes were twinkling. Then the boy spoke in a voice that was almost a yell. "That was the beautifulest thing I ever saw! You were floating around! And flying! It was pretty, and you're pretty too! I like your grey hair! You seem young to have grey hair, the only person I know with grey hair is my grandpa! Grandma has white hair, not grey. Can you show me how to dance like you did? I want to float and fly!"

Daichi had come to stand behind Shoyo; he was smiling at Suga while his nephew gushed enthusiastically. 

Suga winked at Daichi before crouching down to be on Shoyo's level, and then put a hand on one of Shoyo's shoulders. "Nice to meet you, Shoyo. I'm Suga. I'll tell you what, I promise to teach you _everything_ I know. But only if you promise me that you’ll keep trying even if it's not exciting at first. When you're just starting out, you won't be dancing like you saw me doing. You'll be strengthening your muscles and learning basic moves. It takes real commitment. Do you have a _strong will,_ Shoyo? Will you take all the small steps that will lead to floating and flying?"

Shoyo was looking at Suga earnestly as the silver haired man spoke to him. Suddenly, he puffed up with pride and determination. "I can do it! I'll do whatever it takes! Someday I'm going to dance just like you!"

Suga looked pleased with the sincerity in Shoyo’s voice. He nodded once and gave a thumbs-up, then stood and grinned at Daichi. "And hello to you. There’s a change of clothes on top of the shelf there that should fit Shoyo. You can help him change in the bathroom, it's right back there."

Daichi smiled warmly at Suga while he grabbed the clothes and told Shoyo to head to the bathroom. He kissed Suga quickly before following his nephew and helping the boy get dressed.

Once Shoyo was wearing the proper attire, Suga gave a brief description of what classes would be like and some examples of the positions the boy would learn first. During Suga's demonstration, a dark haired boy walked in with his equally dark haired mother. The woman nodded to Suga, saying she would be back in a couple hours. 

Suga acknowledged the woman, then waved the dark haired boy over to him and Shoyo. "Hi there, Tobio. I want you to meet Shoyo. This is his first time here," he said to the slightly sullen looking boy. He then turned to Shoyo. "This is Tobio. He’s your age, but he’s been doing ballet since he was just three years old. He knows more than you do right now, but that means you can learn a lot from him. I hope you two will be friends and work together nicely."

Shoyo stared at Tobio intensely, as though he could absorb ballet knowledge just by looking at the other boy. Tobio seemed to find the gaze irritating and frowned. Meanwhile, Daichi and Suga both looked between the two boys.

Daichi was worried that Shoyo would be too much for the serious boy. But Suga didn't seem concerned at all; he clapped his hand together twice and spoke up in a firm yet kind voice. "Right then, Shoyo. Why don't you spend a few minutes watching Tobio and then I'll show you some barre exercises you can do for today."

Tobio removed his jacket and began practicing a short dance routine. Shoyo watched closely; his eyes were full of wonder. When Tobio finished the routine, Shoyo clapped loudly. "That was awesome! You could even do some of the things Suga did! You're really graceful for someone who seems so grouchy," he said enthusiastically. 

Tobio scowled. "Well you're pretty loud for someone so stupid."

Suga laughed and ruffled Kageyama's hair. "That's enough of that, Tobio. Continue your practice. Shoyo, come over to the mirror with me and I'll show you some barre exercises."

Daichi watched as Suga instructed Shoyo. The silver haired man seemed to have endless patience; when Shoyo would go off on a long winded chatter, Suga would listen with a smile and then gently redirect Shoyo's attention back to the task at hand. It made Daichi's heart warm to see how natural his boyfriend was at interacting with his nephew. 


	4. Chapter 4

The time spent at the studio flew by; soon Daichi, Suga and Shoyo were on their way to the festival. Shoyo played games at the different stalls, but didn't win any prizes. Daichi hated seeing his nephew disappointed, so he gave a ring toss game a try. He got a ring over a small music box on his first shot, then got a butterfly net on his second one. He gave Suga the music box and gave the net to Shoyo, who started swinging it around. 

"Can we go bug hunting right now? I want to catch fireflies!" Shoyo chirped out loudly. 

"The nights are too cold now for fireflies, I think," said Suga. He shivered a bit as he spoke; he was still in the thin clothes he wore for dancing. 

“Here, take this,” said Daichi as he shrugged off his jacket and wrapped it around Suga's shoulders. Suga smiled at him, then kissed him softly on the lips as thanks. 

"You kissed my uncle! Does that mean you like him? Like-like, not friends-like?" Shoyo was pointing at them and wearing a curious expression.

Daichi blushed a little as he responded. "Well, Suga is my boyfriend, and I do 'like-like' him." 

Suga put his hand on Daichi’s shoulder while smiling at Shoyo. "I like your uncle very much, Shoyo. Is that okay with you?"

Shoyo put both his arms up excitedly, almost wacking a stranger with his net as he did so. "It's okay with me! You're really cool, Suga! And if you're my uncle's boyfriend, we can see each other lots! And you'll be my uncle too!"

Suga giggled happily. "Yes, I think we will see each other a lot now. Especially if your mom is okay with you coming to ballet lessons."

Daichi picked Shoyo up and put the boy on his shoulders to save innocent bystanders from the excited net waving. "Let's find some food, it's close to seven and your mom will be coming to pick you up soon. What should we eat?"

"I want takoyaki! And a chocolate banana!" Shoyo shouted. 

"Those sound good to me too," Suga said with a smile. 

Daichi held both of Shoyo's feet against his chest with one hand and took Suga's hand with his other. "I guess I'll track them down then, if that's what my two favorite guys want."

Shoyo looked down at Suga, who looked up at him and smiled. The boy laughed happily and sang a tune. _"Chocolate banana! Chocolate banana!"_

"For dessert," Daichi teased, giving his shoulders a wobble to make Shoyo bounce around. Shoyo screamed happily and wrapped his arms around Daichi's face, blocking the man’s view.

Daichi spoke with a grin as he walked on without being able to see well. "You lead the way, Suga. I'm afraid my tracking skills are down."

Suga chuckled merrily and pulled Daichi along through the crowd, seeking out a takoyaki stand. The smell of the fried octopus dumplings helped him find his way. After the group had found the takoyaki and had their fill, they went out in search of a chocolate banana stand. They had just found it and gotten some chocolate covered bananas when Daichi's phone rang.

"Hey. We’re near the front of the festival, where all the food is… by the chocolate banana stand... yep, see you in a minute." 

Daichi hung up the phone and looked down at Shoyo. There was chocolate melted all over the boy's face. Daichi cringed a little inside, knowing his sister may not have approved of dessert so close to bedtime. The evidence was too obvious to hide now. 

Suga was crouched down next to Shoyo, trying to wipe the boy’s face; the two of them were laughing together. Daichi smiled and took out his phone, snapping a quick picture. He decided he would have to get that one framed someday.

"Hey, there you are!" A tall woman was walking quickly towards them. It was Daichi's sister, Mei. While she didn't have Shoyo's bright orange hair, they did share the same smile. When she looked at how chocolate covered her son was, she laughed. "I should’ve known you’d sugar him up right before bed, Daichi." 

Daichi chuckled and looked a little guilty. “Uh oh, I’ve been caught.”

At that moment, Shoyo jumped into his mom's arms; he got chocolate all over her shirt. She just smiled and hugged the boy closer before setting him down and turning to Daichi. “Thank you for today. And the festival was a great idea.”

“Thanks. It wan’t my idea though,” Daichi said as he went to turn towards Suga, who was standing a short distance away with slight uncertainty.

But before Daichi could introduce his boyfriend, Shoyo ran over and took Suga's hand; he led him over to his mom. "This is Suga! He’s uncle’s boyfriend! And Suga’s so cool, mom! He teaches ballet! Can I take ballet classes? Please? I'm going to work hard on all the little steps so I can learn to float and fly!"

Shoyo had rushed all his words out without a pause. He had come to be standing between his mom and Suga, holding one of each of their hands. He tugged at them impatiently while waiting for an answer.

Mei looked overwhelmed with the information as she looked between Shoyo, Suga, and Daichi. After a moment, Daichi stepped over next to Suga's free hand and grabbed it in his own. "Mei, I want you to meet Suga, my boyfriend. Suga, this is Shoyo's mom and my sister, Mei."

“Nice to meet you,” Suga said politely; he seemed worried about how the woman was going to react to him dating her brother. 

Mei recovered her wits and smiled warmly at Suga. "Very nice to meet you, Suga. So you teach ballet?"

There was some subtle relief in Suga’s eyes as he flashed a bright grin. "Yes, I teach ballet five nights a week and on Sunday afternoons. I would love to have Shoyo in my class. He seems eager to learn, and I'm sure he can grow the focus needed to channel his wonderful energy into dance."

Mei seemed happy that Suga found her son's high energy to be a gift rather than a bother. "I’m willing to try to let him try it. I would love to see Shoyo find an interest that keeps his attention. Daichi can text me the class schedule later.”

Shoyo started cheering happily as he ran circles around the three adults. Mei smiled at her son’s enthusiasm. “I wish we could chat more, but it’s time to head home to get Shoyo through a bath and into bed. It was a pleasure to meet you, Suga. I would love to have lunch with you and Daichi soon, and get to know you more."

"I'd love to do lunch sometime. It was great meeting you!" Suga said as Mei turned to leave. 

Daichi called out his farewell to his sister and nephew, and then turned to Suga. “Seems like you were a litte nervous. My sister won’t bite, promise.”

“I’ve just had bad… family interactions, in the past,” Suga said as he glanced away.

Daichi hummed. “I’m sorry you’ve had bad experiences. I can guarantee that my family will like you, though. My sister already does, I can tell. And so does Shoyo.”

Suga smiled and nudged into Daichi. “You’re a sweet man with a nice family too? What’s the catch?”

Daichi thought about it for a moment and then grinned. “I’ve been told I snore.”

Suga leaned into Daichi and gave a teasing grin. “Oh no! Deal breaker.”

Daichi chuckled. "Want to stay at my place tonight? I'll have to leave early for work..."

Suga interrupted Daichi with a kiss, and then grinned happily. "I’d love to.” 


	5. Chapter 5

It was six months later. Daichi had brought Suga to a family dinner at his parents house. It had become a weekly occurrence to gather there for a shared meal. The group had finished eating and the adults were sitting on the couch, watching Shoyo perform some of the ballet he had learned since starting classes with Suga. The boy was still far from good, but the group couldn't help feeling pride and joy when watching him. 

"Suga said I can even be lifted while dancing someday! I'd look like a bird flying! It would be like, bwah! And I'd go swoosh!" Shoyo had moved from doing ballet poses to running around the room with his arms straight out like a bird. 

Suga laughed as he stood up. "Here, I'll lift you right now. Run to me and then make your body stiff as a board. Let me do the balancing okay?" He knelt down on the ground and put his hands forward to catch Shoyo. 

Shoyo squealed with delight and ran forward with unfaltering trust. Suga lifted the boy high above his head. "I'm going to stand now, okay? Keep being stiff as a board!" He slowly stood up and then gently spun Shoyo around in a few circles. The boy was looking down at him and giggling.

Daichi lifted himself from the couch. "I think with my help, we can make this little bird swoosh around the room!" He walked over and grabbed Shoyo's ankles. 

Suga grinned at Daichi, then carefully turned himself around and held onto the top of Shoyo’s chest. "Ready to fly, little bird?" 

"Swoosh me!" Shoyo shouted. 

"One, two, three, go!" Suga yelled. He and Daichi then carried Shoyo all throughout the house. Shoyo was laughing and screaming happily, with orders of ‘faster’ and ‘make it more bwah!’ They were all laughing together, lost in the moment. 

Mei was watching from the couch while sitting between her parents. She found herself having to brush some tears away. Her mother patted her knee softly. "What's wrong, dear?"

Mei took a breath before she replied. "I'm just happy. I worried about Shoyo growing up without a dad. But then Daichi stepped in to be there for him, and helped me through so much. And I'm grateful to you both for letting us move in here, after my husband died."

“We’re happy to have you here, sweetheart,” Mei’s mother said kindly. 

Mei sniffled before she spoke again. "Now Daichi has Suga. I've never seen him happier. I'm so glad for him. And I'm so overjoyed for Shoyo. It's like he has two dads looking over him. But I'm sad that my husband isn't a part of the happiness we have now." 

Mei wiped a few more tears away as she finished speaking. Suga and Daichi had noticed Mei's upset; they stopped playing and lowered Shoyo down. When Shoyo saw his mother crying, he climbed into her lap to hug her. 

Mei's father cleared his throat. "Shoyo's joy is his dad's joy. Your husband knew how loved you both were. And he shared many happy memories with us while he was alive. Shoyo's heart will always carry the memories of his dad's love, even when he can no longer recall his face or his voice."

Mei took a deep breath. "I've ruined the mood. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize," Suga said suddenly. "I never had this type of support from my family growing up. They don't even speak to me anymore, because they disapprove of who I am. I'm really moved, watching the love you all share in your family." 

Daichi's mom reached towards Suga and took one of his hands into hers. "You’re a part of our family now, Suga. The love we share belongs to you too."

Everyone nodded in agreement. Suga bit his lip, feeling lost for words. So he just nodded in thanks while he squeezed the old woman’s hand gently. 

Within a few minutes, Shoyo had fallen asleep on his mom's lap. Mei carefully stood up with her son in her arms. "I think it's time I get this one to bed," she whispered. "It was lovely to see you again, Daichi and Suga. I love you both and so does Shoyo. Thank you for being such an important part of our lives."

"We’ll always be here for him and for you, Mei," Daichi said. Suga smiled softly and nodded in agreement. 

Once Mei and Shoyo were out of the room, Daichi pulled his parents into a hug. "We should get going. I love you, thanks for having us over tonight."

"Yes, thank you both. It's always so wonderful to spend time here," Suga added. 

"We’re glad to have you here. You make our son so happy," Daichi's dad said earnestly.

After more hugs and farewells, Daichi and Suga stepped out of the house and started walking towards the train station. The night was clear and Daichi looked up at the stars as they walked. He was thinking about asking Suga an important question; one he’d been considering for a while. 

"Your place or mine?" Suga said, bumping his hip into Daichi's. 

Daichi wrapped an arm around Suga's shoulders. "About that… I was thinking, maybe… since we're always at each other's place anyway… and I live closer to your studio than you do… maybe you'd want to move in with me?"

Suga stopped walking. He looked at Daichi, and a smile bloomed across his lips. He grabbed Daichi's coat collar and kissed the man excitedly. "Yes, Daichi! I will absolutely move in with you!"

  
  
  



	6. Chapter 6

Daichi got the next Friday off work so he could help Suga move into his two bedroom apartment. One of the rooms was set up for when Shoyo had sleepovers. The two men had just moved the last of Suga's boxes, leaving them all in the living room. Suga didn't have very much stuff aside from his furniture, which he’d already sold. 

Daichi sat down on the couch and sighed contentedly. "We made good time, it's only just past three."

Suga smiled seductively as he walked across the room and climbed onto Daichi's lap. "I cancelled my classes tonight. We have the whole evening to celebrate our new milestone. What should we do to mark the occasion?" 

Daichi pulled Suga in for a kiss and mumbled against the man’s lips. "I can think of only one thing I want to do to celebrate, and he's sitting on my lap right now," he said as he moved to unbuckle Suga's belt. But then his cell phones started ringing. 

"Hold that thought, I'll check who it is," Suga said. He twisted his body so he could see the man’s cell phone on the coffee table behind him. 

“I can call whoever it is back, just leave it," Daichi said as he rubbed his hands up Suga's thighs.

"It's Shoyo's school," Suga said with a puzzled frown.

Daichi leaned forward and reached around Suga for his phone. "That's weird. I don't think they’ve ever called me since Mei put me down as Shoyo's emergency contact," said Daichi as he put his phone to his ear. 

"Hello?... yes, this is Sawamura Daichi… okay, I’ll come now and get him. I can be there in about thirty minutes... okay, thank you. Goodbye."

Suga was looking at Daichi as he moved off the man’s lap and stood up. "Sounds like we need to go get Shoyo?"

Daichi nodded. "Mei’s late and hasn't answered the school's phone calls. Probably forgot to charge her phone last night. We’ll get him and bring him back here until I can reach her, if that's okay?"

Suga smiled. "Cooking dinner for my two favorite guys is the only other acceptable way to celebrate," he said with a wink as he moved to the front door to get his shoes on. 

Daichi smiled as he got up and moved to the door. He slipped his shoes on and grabbed the keys to the apartment, then took Suga's hand in his own after locking up. He looked at the man as they walked down the hallway. "Do you know how much I love you?" 

Suga smiled mischievously. "I do know."

Daichi laughed and pulled Suga over for a quick kiss before they walked out of the apartment building. It didn't take them long to reach Shoyo's school by foot. They walked inside and found the boy's class. Shoyo saw them and ran over to them for hugs. "Guess what, Tobio and his mom waited here with me! That was so nice of them right!?"

Tobio and his mom walked over. "Tobio insisted that we couldn't leave Shoyo here without a friend," Tobio's mom said kindly. 

"I didn't say that," Tobio mumbled.

"Thanks for keeping Shoyo company, Tobio. That was very thoughtful of you," Suga said while grinning sincerely at Tobio. 

"It's fine, whatever," Tobio said shyly while looking away.

Tobio and his mom left while Daichi walked over to thank the teacher for staying late. Meanwhile, Suga crouched down to talk to Shoyo. "Guess what Shoyo? You get to have dinner with us tonight! Maybe we’ll even have time to watch a movie afterwards.”

"Are you going to cook for us? I love your cooking!" Shoyo said excitedly. 

"You bet I am! We’ll stop at the store on our way back and pick out ingredients for dinner… and maybe ice cream too, if anyone even wants some," Suga lightly teased. 

Shoyo jumped into Suga's arms and squeezed the man into a tight hug. "You're the best, uncle Suga! I love you!"

Suga smiled warmly as he hugged the boy. "I love you too, Shoyo."

"Suga's the best uncle, is he?" Daichi said with a light chuckle as he walked back over to them. 

"You're both the best!" Shoyo said happily. 

"Want to ride on my shoulders?" Daichi asked. Shoyo quickly nodded. Daichi lifted Shoyo up onto his shoulders while Suga picked up the boy’s backpack; the three of them left the school together. The two men listened contentedly to Shoyo chatter about his day.

  
  
  



	7. Chapter 7

After stopping for ingredients, the trio made it home. Suga let Shoyo be the official kitchen helper by washing vegetables and standing on a chair to “supervise” the chopping of ingredients. Meanwhile, Daichi had just finished moving all of Suga’s boxes into the bedroom so they’d be out of the way. He came to the kitchen and watched his boyfriend and nephew interact. Their laughter and warm conversation made him happy. 

Just then, Daichi's phone rang in his pocket. He pulled it out and expected to see Mei's name on the ID, but it was his mom instead. He answered and put the phone to his ear. "Hey mom, what's up?"

"Have you heard from Mei? She should’ve been home by now," Daichi's mom said over the phone.

"No, I haven't heard from her. Shoyo’s actually here with us. The school called me because Mei was late picking him up," Daichi said as he walked into the bedroom so his nephew wouldn’t overhear him. 

"I wonder when she’ll be home then. I'm glad Shoyo’s with you, though," said Daichi's mom.

"Yeah, I'm not sure either. She must’ve let her phone battery die again. We plan to feed Shoyo dinner and just have him wait with us until we hear from her." Daichi was pacing around his bedroom as he spoke, avoiding the boxes that were in the way.

“Okay, sweetheart. Let me know if you hear from your sister. Love you."

"I'll let you know. Love you too, bye." Daichi hung up and left the bedroom. He didn't feel that worried about not hearing from Mei; she often forgot to charge her phone and frequently picked up extra shifts last minute. She probably knew that Daichi would get Shoyo if ever she didn't make it on time.

Daichi walked into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around Suga while the man was checking to see if the curry was ready. "Smells really good! I won't be surprised if it’s the best meal I've ever eaten. Did you do anything special to it?"

Suga smiled, turning to kiss Daichi's cheek before he responded. "I did have a _very good helper_ this time. I wonder if my assistant would take the plates and set the table?"

Shoyo beamed at the praise. He jumped off the chair he’d been standing on and took the small stack of plates to the table. When Shoyo was out of the kitchen, Daichi whispered in Suga's ear. "My mom called, she’s not heard from Mei yet."

Suga glanced at the clock and frowned with concern. "It's already half past five… I hope everything’s okay."

Daichi squeezed Suga in his arms. "She probably picked up an extra shift and forgot to call."

Suga hummed in reply, but still looked concerned. Shoyo came back in the kitchen for spoons and napkins, grinning happily at his uncles as he passed. Suga gave him a warm smile. "Thank you for being a big helper, Shoyo. I think you should get to pick the movie we watch after dinner."

"Really? I want to watch My Neighbor Totoro!"

Daichi smiled and nodded at his nephew. "Totoro it is, then. Let's get our hands washed up." Daichi and Shoyo went to wash their hands while Suga brought food to the table. The three of them enjoyed the meal, and Shoyo bounced in his chair happily when Suga brought out ice cream after. Once they all had full bellies, they had moved to the couch to watch the movie. Shoyo snuggled between Daichi and Suga. 

Right before the movie ended, Shoyo fell asleep. Suga carefully pulled the boy into his arms as he whispered to Daichi. "I'll go tuck him into bed. Might as well text Mei and call your mom, to let them know he’s sleeping over."

Daichi nodded and went to the kitchen table where he’d left his phone. He sat down and sent Mei a quick text. 

**To Mei**

**Sent 8:25pm**

_Hey, where have you been? Mom’s worried. I picked up Shoyo from school, he’s here with us. He fell asleep after dinner, so he can sleep here tonight. Call me when you see this, okay?_

Daichi sighed. It wasn't like Mei to not contact anyone if she had picked up an extra shift, but that was the only reasonable explanation. He gave his mom a quick call to let her know Shoyo was sleeping over, and to ask if she’d heard from Mei yet. 

Suga came back into the room as Daichi was getting off the phone. They went to curl up together on the couch. Suga took one of Daichi's hands in between his own and leaned against the man’s shoulder. "Was that your mom, or Mei?"

"My mom. She still hasn't heard from Mei yet. I don't think Mei’s ever picked extra hours at work without figuring out care for Shoyo first. If her phone was dead, she’d have borrowed someone else’s,” Daichi said in an uneasy way.

Suga pushed Daichi gently down on the couch so that the man was laying across it. Then he laid down and wrapped his arms around the man’s chest. Daichi returned the embrace, and they held each other close in silent worry. Eventually, they fall asleep together right there on the couch. 


	8. Chapter 8

Daichi was awoken by the sound of his cell phone ringing. He drowsily blinked as he became aware of where he was. The lamp next to the couch was still on, and Daichi realized he and Suga had fallen asleep in the living room. He kissed Suga's forehead before reaching over his sleeping boyfriend to grab his phone. 

"Hello?" Daichi said sleepily.

"Hello. I have a phone that belongs to a patient, she was brought in after a car accident yesterday afternoon. This phone number was the most recent one dialed. Are you a family member of Hinata Mei?" 

Daichi sat up quickly, accidentally jostling Suga around as he did so. The man mumbled in his sleep before becoming still again. Daichi felt anxiety rising up in his chest. "Mei’s my sister. Is she okay?"

"I can't give details over the phone, but it would be best if you come to the hospital right away, sir," the woman said calmly.

"Uh, okay. Which hospital?" Daichi rubbed his hand down his face and looked at the digital clock in the kitchen; it was just past two in the morning. 

"Central Hospital, sir. You can come in through the ER, and let them know you need to get to the ICU."

"Okay… thanks. I'll be there as soon as I can. Goodbye," said Daichi as he ended the call. He climbed over Suga and stood up, before he remembered Shoyo was in the spare room. He knelt down in front of Suga and gently shook the man. "Suga… Suga… I have to go to the hospital.”

"Hmm? The hospital?" Suga willed his eyes to open and looked at Daichi; he was barely conscious. "Are you sick?"

"Mei’s in the hospital. She was in a car accident. They told me to come right away," Daichi said with a shaking voice. 

That information jolted Suga into consciousness and he sat up quickly. He cleared his throat as he rubbed his eyes. "Do you want me to come with you?" 

"Shoyo’s still here, will you stay and watch him while I go?" Daichi asked as he stood up; he was holding Suga's hand tightly. 

Suga stood as well. "Right, I forgot. Of course I'll keep an eye on him. I don't think I'll get back to sleep tonight, so text me once you find out how Mei’s doing,” he said as he pulled Daichi into a firm hug. 

Daichi squeezed Suga close before walking to the door and slipping on his shoes. He took a deep breath and noticed his hands were shaking from adrenaline. He turned back to Suga before he walked out the door. "I love you, Suga. I'll text you as soon as I've been able to see her."

"I'll be waiting. I love you too, Daichi," Suga said as he watched the man leave.

\----

Daichi reached the hospital quickly by taxi. He was then escorted back to the ICU by a nurse. He reached Mei's room right as a doctor was leaving it. The doctor looked at him with a serious expression. "Are you Ms. Hinata's relative?"

Daichi nodded. "Yes, I'm her brother. How is she?"

The doctor put a hand on Daichi's shoulder; she sounded sad as she spoke. "She’s not going to last much longer, I’m afraid. She’s barely holding on as it is. You've made it in time to say goodbye, though she’s unconscious. I'm very sorry."

Daichi stared at the doctor in disbelief as the woman turned to walk away. Then he looked at the door and reached to push it open. He walked into the room and felt numb as he looked at his sister laying in the hospital bed. She was bandaged all over, and had tubes and wires tangled around her. Like the doctor had said, her eyes were closed and she seemed to be asleep. 

Daichi walked over and carefully sat on the edge of the bed, taking his sister's hand in between his own. He tried to find the words to say goodbye, but he didn't want to accept that this was the end for her. She had so much life left, and Shoyo needed her. She couldn't die yet. He took a deep breath and started to speak; his voice was soft and trembling. "Mei… I don't know if you can hear me. I'm so sorry this happened to you. I don't want to believe that you're going to die. I wish this was just a bad dream."

Daichi started to cry as he continued talking. "I hope you're not in too much pain. You were waiting for me, weren't you? You couldn't let go before you knew Shoyo would be okay. You don't have to worry. Shoyo will never be alone, I promise. I'll take care of him for you, I always will. And so will Suga. We both care about him. Our whole family loves him so much. And we love you so much, Mei. We’re going to carry you in our hearts. You're always going to be part of our family."

Tears flowed freely from Daichi as he squeezed his sister's hand. He couldn't find words anymore as he felt sadness wash over him. The whole situation felt like too much to handle. It wasn't long after his arrival that Mei's vitals dropped. When the doctors confirmed her time of death, Daichi sank into a chair and sobbed. 

He had lost his sister. His parents had lost their daughter. Shoyo had lost his mother. He didn't know how he was going to tell his nephew the news. It was going to break the boy’s heart. 


	9. Chapter 9

Daichi walked into his apartment a few hours later feeling emotionally spent. Early morning light was just starting to filter through the windows. Suga was sitting on the couch crying; he had texted the man shortly after his sister had passed on. 

Suga stood and walked over to Daichi, pulling the man into his arms. They held each other and cried quietly. "I'm so sorry, Daichi."

Daichi sniffled as he replied. "Is Shoyo still sleeping? I don't know how I'm going to tell him that his mom… is not coming back….” Fresh tears fell as he finished speaking. 

"Let's give him breakfast first, and then we will tell him together, okay?" Suga's voice was delicate as he wiped his own tears with his wrists. 

Daichi nodded sadly. "Alright. I'm going to shower and pull myself together." 

Suga hugged the man once more and then watched his boyfriend walk to the bathroom. His heart felt heavy; Mei had come to feel like a sister to him. She had been so kind and accepting. And she was such a wonderful mother to Shoyo. Suga wiped more tears away as he walked to the kitchen sink. 

After splashing cold water on his face, Suga decided to make pancakes. As he was finishing cooking the second batch and putting the last four scoops of batter onto the skillet, he heard Shoyo come into the kitchen. 

"You're making pancakes, uncle Suga? That's my favorite breakfast!" Shoyo said happily. 

Suga felt a stab of guilt. He hoped Shoyo wouldn't come to hate pancakes once he associated it with the morning he lost his mother. He blinked back tears.

Meanwhile, Shoyo pulled a chair to the cabinet and got out three plates. "I'll set the table!"

"You're such a big helper! Thank you, Shoyo," Suga said. He turned away to wipe a few escaped tears. 

Daichi came in as Suga and Shoyo had just sat down at the table. He looked at Suga and could tell that the man was trying his best to hold it together. He was facing the same problem himself; he was barely keeping from coming apart. Shoyo did most of the talking over breakfast, telling stories and talking about how good he was going to be at ballet someday. 

Daichi and Suga listened to Shoyo and responded when needed, but were otherwise silent. Both were thinking about how they were going to tell the boy about his mother. A thought occurred to Daichi and he voiced it without realizing. "I'm going to have to tell my parents…"

Suga looked to Daichi and found that he couldn't hold back the tears any longer. They softly fell as he went to hide his face behind a napkin. He hadn’t wanted to upset Shoyo while they were eating.

"What do you have to tell grandpa and grandma? And why is uncle Suga crying?" Shoyo asked. He went to climb onto Suga's lap. "Don’t be sad! The pancakes were yummy! Just like my mom makes them!"

With those words hanging in the air, Daichi started crying. And Suga’s quiet tears turned into loud sobbing. Shoyo seemed very concerned by the turn of events. After a few moments, Daichi pulled himself together. "Let's go sit on the couch, Shoyo. We have to tell you something."

The three of them moved to the couch and Shoyo got back in Suga's lap once they sat down. The boy could feel the tension in the room and he sought the comfort of Suga's embrace. Daichi squatted in front of the couch and looked at Shoyo. "Something happened yesterday… your mom was in an accident.”

Shoyo's eyes widened with worry. "Is she okay?"

"She… isn't okay. Your mom passed away, which means we won't get to see her again," Daichi said softly.

Tears welled up in Shoyo's eyes. "Did she leave to go where my daddy is?"

Daichi couldn't make any words come out, so Suga gently replied. "Yes, Shoyo. They’re together now."

Shoyo’s eyes, which were usually bright and happy, were now filled with tears. "Well… that's okay then… now daddy won't be alone anymore." After Shoyo got his words out, he pushed his face into Suga's chest and started wailing. His small body trembled and his little fists grabbed onto Suga's shirt. Suga wrapped his arms tightly around Shoyo and held the boy close. Daichi wrapped his arms around them. They all cried together for a long time.

Finally, Daichi managed to speak. "You won't be alone, Shoyo. You can live here with us. And you can still see grandma and grandpa all the time." 

Shoyo didn’t reply; the only sounds from him now were sniffles. Suga smoothed the boy's hair with one of his hands. Shoyo's breathing was calmer, but he still had silent tears coming out. Suga held and rocked the small boy, rubbing his back now and then. 

After a while, Shoyo wanted to go to his grandparents house and get his favorite stuffed animal. Daichi and Suga decided it was better to tell them in person anyway, so they all went to see Daichi's parents. The news was taken very hard; much of the day was spent crying together.

Throughout it all, Shoyo refused to leave Suga's side. Something about the way Suga took care of him reminded Shoyo of his mother. Suga was both moved and brokenhearted at how Shoyo wanted to be soothed by him. The boy clearly missed his mom, and Suga felt he was a sorry excuse for a substitute.

Within a day, funeral arrangements were made. A week later, relatives and friends gathered to pay their respects. At the end of the ceremony, Shoyo stood between his uncles near his mother's grave. He put his little hands on the headstone, leaning his forehead on it, and then whispered something that Daichi and Suga didn't quite hear. "I love you mama. I'll keep you inside my heart forever."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been progressively getting sick over the last couple days and I feel like trash right now. My mind is sluggish because of it. 😓
> 
> But I plan to do another chapter soon


	10. Chapter 10

It had been just over six months since Suga had moved in with Daichi; it was the same amount of time that had passed since Mei's death. 

Shoyo had moved in with Daichi and Suga right after his mother's passing. The three of them found a good routine. Suga picked Shoyo up from school and took care of him, sometimes stopping at a park on the way home. When Daichi got back from work, Suga would go teach his ballet classes. Then Daichi would bring Shoyo to one of the later classes, after giving him a snack and helping him with his homework. 

And then they'd always walk back home together. Shoyo would often ride on Daichi's shoulders while Suga held Daichi's hand. They would talk about their day, and then eat a late dinner once they got home. After Shoyo got his bath and was asleep in his bedroom, Daichi and Suga would spend time together cuddled on the couch, unwinding from their day. 

Sometimes Suga would read while Daichi watched a volleyball game on TV. Other times they would watch a movie together. But tonight was a 'just be together and snuggle' kind of night. They made sure to have plenty of time as a couple since becoming Shoyo’s caregivers.

Daichi was laid back on the couch, and Suga was tucked in next to him. They had their arms wrapped around each other and were enjoying a comfortable silence. 

Suddenly, Daichi cleared his throat. "Hey, Suga?"

Suga tilted his head back and smiled at Daichi. "Hmm?"

Daichi smiled back warmly. "Did you know I love you? Like, so much."

Suga giggled and pressed a kiss to Daichi's lips. "I don't know for sure, you  _ only _ tell me every day."

Daichi grinned and pulled Suga closer to himself, returning the kiss. When he pulled away, Suga sat up onto one arm and looked at Daichi with a serious yet playful expression. "Did you know that I love you so much?"

Daichi nodded. "I still don't know what I did to deserve such an amazing guy. You've been so good to me. And good to Shoyo. I don't think we would have made it through everything without you. With you here, it feels like we're a family."

Suga's face softened. "You and Shoyo definitely are my family. I love him like he’s my own. And I know he thinks of us like parents."

Daichi reached a hand up to caress Suga's face. "I know that Shoyo thinks the world of you. I appreciate the way you watch over him and care for him."

Suga kissed Daichi again, deeper this time. He smiled happily as he pulled back. "You're a big soft sap, Daichi."

Daichi grinned and looked thoughtful for a moment, and then climbed over Suga to get off the couch. "Stay right there, I'll be back in a second."

Suga made a show of freezing in place, not moving a muscle until Daichi returned a minute later. Daichi stood in front of Suga with his hands behind his back. "Will you sit up, or maybe stand up?"

Suga laughed and noticed Daichi hiding his hands. "Well, which do you want me to do?"

Daichi blushed slightly. "Stand then, please."

Suga stood up in front of Daichi, and went to reach his arms up around the man’s shoulders. But before he could do that, Daichi dropped to one knee. Suga blinked down at him, then his eyes widened in realization. Daichi cleared his throat. "I couldn't decide how to do this, so I figured I'd wait until the moment felt right… but it always feels so right with you that I've had a hard time choosing which moment is  _ 'the' _ moment."

Suga put his hands over his mouth as Daichi pulled a small box from behind his back and opened it, revealing a ring. 

"When I first saw you, time stood still. I wanted to stay in that moment forever. But every moment since then, every moment with you just gets better and better. I really love you. Will you marry me, Suga?"

Suga wiped tears from his eyes and nodded his head. Daichi smiled as he stood up, then slipped the ring onto Suga's finger. Suga pressed himself against Daichi, kissing the man again and again. "I'm going to spend forever loving you, Sawamura Daichi."

  
  
  



End file.
